Water safety belt



June 14, 1960 c. F. HINE WATER SAFETY, BELT Filed Aug. 5, 1957 KNx United States APatent WATER SAFETY BELT 'Clarke. F. Bine, Chicago, lll., assigner, by mesne assignl ments, to The Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company,

Chicago, lll., a corporation of Delaware Filed Aug. 5, 1957, Ser. No. 676,122

2 Claims. (Cl. 9--336) My invention relates to a safety belt for swimmers particularly for use in water skiing, boating, bathing, and in any situation where a swimmer may need a 'buoyant support in learning to swim or being thrown into: the water from a boat, or the like, and has for its primary object the provision of a safety belt which assists in supporting the body of a wearer preferably in a vertical position in the water and if the wearer tilts his body to an elongated position, the belt is so constructed vand arranged that the support comes from the :front and rear of the body with freedom for movement of the arms Afor swimming movement in the water, particularly water skiing, and the like.

which is partially held against upward movement by the rib cage ofthe wearer, while the pad at the rear is heldv across the small of the `back with the hips of the wearer preventing downward slippage of the pad at the rear of' the body, thus providing a safety belt which remains rmly in position about the body of the wearer 'and because there is no padding -at the sides of the body,

the belt does not lmaterially restrict the movement of either the arms or legs of the wearer for swimming, water skiing, boating, and the like.

Another and further object of my invention is the prorisionfofa safety belt `for swimmers which comprises a pair of buoyant pads, one pad of which is worn in front of the wearer while the other pad is at the rear which pads are secured about the wearer lby spaced belts which encircle the body of the wearer, one pad being stitched to one of the belts while the other pad is slidably mounted thereon, and the outer belt is stitched -to -the pad loosely mounted upon the first mentioned belt, and slidably mounted upon the other supporting pad, thereby providing for a freedom of adjustability of the pads about the -body of the wearer without undue strain upon either the belt or the wearer or being particularly uncomfortable to the wearer.

Another and further object of my invention is the provision of a swimming -belt comprising a pair of front and rear pads which terminate at the sides of the body and are connected to spaced belts so as to allow complete freedom of the arms of the wearer for swimming, movement, and the like, when the wearer is using the safety belt.

Another and further object of my invention is the provision of a safety belt which is so constructed and attached to the body of the wearer that it is particularly adaptable for water skiing and supports the body in a substantially upright position in the water permitting the easy removal of water skis from the feet of the wearer and likewise, an easy attachment of the water skis to the feet of the wearer while the body is in yan upright position in the water, and which also protects the body of the wearer from water shocks if the wearer is thrown into the water violently.

Another and further object of my invention is the provision of a safety belt which is easily and quickly attached to the body of the wearer and which can be easily detached therefrom and `the belts tightened while on the body of the wearer and the support pads V,adjusted accordingly, but in which, once the support belt is drawn taut, the pads remain in fixed position on the belt and also about the body of the wearer'.

The invention will be more fully and better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings and in which- Figure 1 is an elevational view of my improved safety belt in extended position; and

Figure 2 is a perspective View of the safety belt shown in the position it occupies when in place upon the body of the wearer.

Referring now specically to the drawings and in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout, a pair of pads 10 and 11 are shown, the pad 10 having transversely extending tapes 12, 12 thereon at each of its ends with an intermediate transversely extending tape 13 being provided, the tapes 12, 12 and 13 being stitched or otherwise secured to the outer covering of the pad 10 throughout the body thereof with cross stitching 14 near the ends and other rows of cross stitching 15, 15 being provided whereby loops 16, 16 are provided through which the belt 17 extends so that the pad 10 is freely movable on, and the belt 17 can be threaded through the loops 16, 16 formed in the transverse tapes 12, 12 and 13. A second belt 18 is provided spaced from the belt 17 which overlays the 'ends of the tapes 12 and 13 and is 'stitched thereto by rows of stitching 19, 19 which stitching also extends `through the outer fabric wall of the pad 1G so that the belt 18 is fixed to the pad 10 and cannot be moved with respect to the pad 10. A ring 20 is iixed to one end of the belt 18 while a slide 21 is movably mounted upon the free end of the belt 17 with a snap 22 thereon which is adapted to engage a ring 23 xed at the opposite end of the belt 17. The free end of the belt 18 has a similar slide 21 mounted thereon with a fixed snap 22 which lis adapted when the' belt is worn about the body of the wearer to engage in the ring 29 with the slides 21, 21 being movable on the free ends of the belts 17 and 18 respectively, when these belts are loosely looped, but which grips the belts tightly when the belts are drawn taut and particularly when they are wet.

The support pad 11 has transversely extending end tapes 24, 24 thereon with an intermediate transversely extending tape 25 stitched to the outer covering thereof, the said tapes 24, 24 and 25 underlying the belt 17 at one of their ends with the belt 17 being stitched to the outer fabric covering forming the -pad 11 by rows of stitching 26, 26 which stitching extends over the ends of the transversely extending tapes 24 land 25 with the tapes 24 and 25 adjacent the belt 18 .also being stitched at 27, 27 inward from their outer ends to the inner face of the outer covering of the pad 11, with the ends of the tapes 24, 24 and 25 being stitched to the pad 11 by stitching 28, 28 whereby loops 29, 29 are formed in the tapes 24, 24 and 25 through which the belt 18 extends whereby the pad 11 is freely movable longitudinally on the belt 18, but is rmly stitched to the belt 17 so that the pads 10 and 11 are freely movable upon either of the belts 17 or 18 so that one pad and one belt are xed together :but are movable as a unit relative to the other pad and the other belt.

The pads 10 and 11 have an outer fabric covering 30, 30 .thereover of -a closely woven material with each of said pads 10 and 11 having a vinyl inner envelope 31 which fthe wearer may remain in the water wearing the.` safety lbeltg-the lsafety belts Aretain their buoyancy unless the vinyl Vcovering is cracked,"or snagged in some fashion allowing water to soak into the kapok. f f' 'IV-heapplication of, the belt to the body of a wearer can Ybe easily-and quickly `accomplished by' simplygwrapping the device Aaround the body and securing thesnapsZZ and the rings 20 together, 4,afterewhich the slides 21, :21"oan'be movedon the belts .17 and`18- so' as to/holdgthe belts snugly in,position about-the bodyfo'f the wearer and-at the same time, the pads can be positioned across the front -off-the jbodyand atthe -rear centrally fof the body Yso Vthat the ends of each of the padsterminate lat-thc sides of the bodlV leaving only the belts at the sides ofthe body of Y,thewearer 'so that'thefpads. donot interfere in any way with the movement of the arms in swimming, and the like, and'- foruse of the hands a'ndarmsparticularly in Waterskiing 'and holding on tothe pull'ropes by means of which the skiers are drawn over the surface of the v Water and also leaves the arms and hands free -for adjust- .lmentof the skis and freedom of swimming as desired. In'the adjustment of the pads, the fact that each of the pads is slidably connected with one of the belts while :being secured Yrmly to'theother belt, allows a relative gnovement 'of the pads'with respect to' each other and an easytadjustment of the pads to arproper'position on the f body of the wearer and at lthe same-time the pads are not easilydisplaced and because they are firmly anchored to fopposite belts, they remain ,rmly in position about the ,body of the wearer, particularly after the beltsbec'ome wet. Likewise, when the belts become wet, Vthey do not move through theslides 21 easily and, therefore, the belts fare firmlyA held about the body of theV wearer and be jcause of the fact that theft-ont pad is over the upper part :of the abdominal cavity and the rear pad extends over thel small part ofthe back of the wearer, movement of the pads longitudinally of the body, of the wearer is most :unlikely to occur. At the same time,.in case of an emergency,-'or the like, the 'snapscan easily 'be loosened from ftherings 20 and the belt removed, .while the wearer is in 2,940,092V Y a varying sizes and in the small size, the pads are suiciently buoyant to sustain the body :of an eighty pound person in the water while in the large size, the pads are, suciently large to sustain the weight of a one-hundred pound person in the Water without being unduly -bulky or interfere with the movement of the wearer -while in the water to any ,great extent. v t

While I have described more' or less precisely the details of construction," 'I doinot wisliito be understood as liminng myself thereto, as I contemplate changes inform,

" the proportion of parts and the substitution of equivalents as circumstances may lsuggest lorrender'elqiedierltxivithout departing from the spirit 4ai-"scope of the invention.

What is claimed isz' -i .l 1f i; 1. A Water safety belt comprising separate front and rear buoyant pads, rows 'of spaced'loops along the upper edge on the inner face of one of said pads and along the lower marginal edge of the other ofY saidrpads, along its inner face, a belt adapted-to encircle. the body Vof a wearer ,secured for a substantial portion Vof its length to the inner face of one of said pads adjacent the edgeoftlie pad opposite the said yloops, and extendingthroughtheloops upon the other of the said pads,fa second belt secured'fo'r a substantial portion of its length adjacent one ofY its ends to the inner face of other of said pads along ,the edge of the pad opposite the loops, the second mentioned belt extending through the yloops adjacent the marginal edge of the companion pad, and fastening means on thefree ends of the ysaid belts.` :V

2. A water safety belt comprising separate front and rear buoyant pads, rows of spaced loops' attached .to-the inner face of one of pads-,along thepupper edge of the saidpad and along the lowerymarginal edge ofthe inner face of the other of the -said,pads, a belt adapted to encircle the body of the wearer secured; for a substantial portioniof it-Vslength tothe VV`inner face of one offsaid pads. adjacentits edge opposite-the said lloopspgtnd extending through the said loops uponV theyother of the said pads, a second belt secured fora substantial portion Iof its length adjacent one =of its ends Ato the inner face ofthe other of said-pads adjacent its edge oppositeltheloopsand extending through the loopsadjacentl the marginal ,ed-ge of .'-the companion pad, and fastening meanson the free ends of each of Said -be1ts,rhe'said loops vand beto beingpn'the sides of the pads adjacent the wearer.

References Citedin the le/ofthis patent-` FOREIGIV PATENTS K l France ..;;..A., .1.4..-.y v Oetrl, 1918 

